Clever Combophotos…

First concocted by a group of surrealists in the early 1900s, the ‘exquisite corpse’ technique is a group exercise where players draw in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal the image, then pass it to the next player for further contribution. the result typically forms zany and unusual mixed-and-matched combinations like human faces with animal bodies and flowers with feet.

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Popularized by children’s books, Atlanta-based artist Stephen McMennamy now expertly brings this age-old pastime to present day using photography and simple props. His series of combophotos combine a pair of images in a single frame, juxtaposing two otherwise unrelated elements against each other. The duo of photos are seamlessly met in the middle of the composition, manifesting the mashup as a surreal blend of fantasy and reality.